- Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: HarperPaperbacks (29 Feb 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0380803151
- ISBN-13: 978-0380803156
- Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 10.7 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,530,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
When her brother runs away to embrace a new faith that is based on heresy, orthodox believer Salli sets out to find him, facing in the process experiences that will cause her to question all she believes.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I loved Susan Mathews other books, and was disappointed, indeed even somewhat bored, with Avalanche Soldier. I very quickly tired of Salli and her brother, and never really understood why her brother choose to join the fanatics. Although I wouldn't call this book a romance, I did not find Salli's relationship with a certain someone believable.
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I really enjoyed reading this book, although it is very different from the other books that Susan has written. It is written in the first person, which gives you an inside perspective on the society she describes, and you really sympathise with the lead character. The plot is really well thought out, and although it all makes sense at the end, you are left to work it out for yourself until then... so you have to think. I heartily recommend this as a good stand-alone SF novel
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
10 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Avalanche soldier - for the non-mainstream
10 Feb 2000
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Another excellent book, though not in the same venue that one would expect from her previous works. After reading this, I was struck by the total focus of the book upon the primary character. Everything seems to come from Salli's perspective, even though none of the story-telling is in the first person. You're caught up in the changes of her life as if it were her telling you the story itself. In that regard, I see it as being non-mainstream, leaving the safe beaten track that some authors tend to tread, with different elements and persons all interconnecting for their "share" of the story. In this case, those elements and people are just portions of the total story, and that story is Salli.
Susan doesn't pull any punches here, just like her previous books. Her characters don't have quick easy fixes in their lives and not everyone lives happily ever-after as they struggle to survive and move on amidst the forces at work around them. Nothing is set in stone, life is malleable and moves on of its own accord whether the character wants it to or not. That of itself makes the characters more believable, more real and more dimensional - and therefore, a good read.
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Bad. Period.
30 Dec 1999
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Ugh! I loved Susan Matthews' three previous novels, but Avalanche Soldier is hideously amateurish -- did she write it a long time ago, and only publish it now? The writing is choppy; the plot color-by-number; the emotions unconvincing; the religious backdrop derivative; the characters unengaging. I lost count of how many times the stupid heroine lost consciousness, and how many important plot points happened while she was unconscious. My disappointment was such that I tossed the book right in the wastebasket upon finishing -- and I only finished it as a result of nagging incredulity: how could this drivel be written by the same woman who'd written the wonderful Prisoner of Conscience, etc.? SHAME on the author and publisher for fobbing off genuine fans with this rubbish.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Avalanche Soldier
29 Jan 2000
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I bought Avalanche Soldier without giving it second thought sure in the knowledge that, since it was written by Susan Matthews, it would be good. Unfortunately, I am very dissapointed: this book is not in the same class as her extraordinary Anrej Koscuisko series (An exchange of Hostages; Prisoner of Conscience; Hour of Judgment).
The story takes place on a planet with a confusing religious system and a violent society stratified due to poor quality scientific assumptions. The plot revolves around a religious teacher, Varrick, who is held by many, including the heroine, Salli, to be the prophecied "Holy One," but who belatedly insists she is just another teacher. This religious leader claims to be divinely inspired, but at the same time, denies divinity; she works miracles, both spiritual and physical, while having at the heart of her dogma the premise that the days of miracles are past, in spite of the prophecies she expounds. Varrick is a dissapointment, if only because of the great expectations I had for her. I did like the Holy Fool, however.
The protagonist, Salli, is a nice enough lady, a member of a paramilitary force/forest ranger organization that patrols the mountains, rescues lost hikers, and stops terrorists all in a single bound. It was never quite clear why there were so many terrorists, but Salli is good at what she does, until she stops doing it to go AWOL to chase after her empty headed brother the cop and jerk first class. I guess the career didn't mean much to her after all. If the religious side of the story wasn't quite convincing, the career side should have been easier to pull off. No such luck.
As to the relationships between the characters, Salli and her brother Meeka start out simple enough, but their relationship grows absurd towards the end without adequate explanation. The kinda sorta unrequited love angle is nice, but the story is very unsatisfying with a big letdown at the end. I suppose a sequel is possible, but..., why bother?
This blooper probably won't stop me from buying Ms. Matthews' next book: she does have great talent, but I will be more cautious the next time.
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